1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the production of o-alkoxyphenols from cyclohexanol, cyclohexanone or trichlorocyclohexanone and to new chemical compounds.
2. Prior Art Relating to the Disclosure
Known processes for the production of o-alkoxyphenols are either costly or their production is accompanied with isomers which are difficult to separate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,719 describes a process for the production of o-alkoxyphenols from cyclohexanone by (1) chlorination of cyclohexanone to chlorocyclohexanone, (2) conversion of the chlorocyclohexanone to an alkoxycyclohexanone, and (3) dehydrogenation of the alkoxycyclohexanone with a Group VIII noble metal catalyst to the corresponding o-alkoxyphenol. On scale up of the process described in the aforementioned patent to commercial production, appreciable amounts of by-products are produced which are difficult to recover. The process also requires a relatively large amount of energy which, at today's cost, is uneconomical.
Processes for the production of o-alkoxyphenols from o-chloronitrobenzene are known but are expensive. Production of o-alkoxyphenols from catechol is also known but is fraught with problems of product separation and purification.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,087 describes a method of producing 2,2,6-trichlorocyclohexanone from cyclohexanone and lower .alpha.-chlorinated cyclohexanones which, when pyrolyzed, provides isomerically pure o-chlorophenol.